| 7 nzdairy Awards put operation in the spotlight Baljinder Singh. During the Awards process, Bali and Gagandeep took on a contract for a third farm. Richard Loader Achieving Runner Up Share Farmer of the Year at the 2024 Hawke’s Bay / Wairarapa Dairy Industry awards is the second time that Baljinder (Bali) Singh has enjoyed success at the industry awards. The first time was in the 2017/18 season when he took third place in the Bay of Plenty Share Farmer of the Year awards, after being inspired by his boss who had won the award a few years earlier. Hailing from India, Bali travelled to New Zealand in 2010 after graduating with a BSc (Honours) in Agriculture and being accepted into the Indian University’s Master’s programme. While the intention was just to taste New Zealand farming, Bali fell in love with the Kiwi way of farming and decided to stay. Bali’s wife Gagandeep has been in New Zealand since 2014, and the couple farm together, contract milking in the Wairarapa. “Both our families farmed back home in India, so farming is in the blood. What I’ve learned here is if you are dedicated to your work you will do well. We love our job, to be honest. We don’t consider dairy farming to be work; it’s a lifestyle. I don’t mind how many hours we’re doing. Dedication, hard work and punctuality are the main drivers for our success. I believe Gagandeep and I are good at what we do, and you should always do what you are good at. We spend a lot of time together on the farms and so that’s a benefit; your personal life merges with your work life and we can see a very bright our future together.” Bali says that entering the dairy industry awards has provided the opportunity to network with other likeminded farmer and others involved in the industry. “You make so many connections, and learn so much from the experience. Going through the entry process and the lists of questions you have to consider forces you to look at all sort of things that you may not even be doing on the farm, and to dig deeper into farming techniques. The first time I entered I got so many job offers from people, and the same thing happened this time as well with a sharemilking job offer and a lease farm offer. Your name comes up from the awards, people ask who is this guy and how can I get his number?” At the time Bali entered this year’s awards he and Gagandeep were contract milking on two dairy units, near Carterton, both owned by Neer Enterprises. One farm has 500 cows, split calving with winter milk and has recently moved to ten-milkings- over-seven-days. The other farm has 550 cows, spring calving and twice-a-day. During the Awards process, Bali and Gagandeep took on a contract for a third farm, also near Carterton. “That’s a 210-cow farm, spring calving and twice-a-day, so we’re now contract milking on three farms. DAIRY PEOPLE » Bali and Gagan Farming Ltd “Going through the entry process and the lists of questions you have to consider forces you to look at all sort of things.” 06 379 8146 | office@scottsagcontracting.co.nz | scottsag.co.nz LTD AG CONTRACTING - STOCK FEED TRANSPORT - EARTH MOVING AGRICULTURAL CONTRACTING WAIRARAPA WIDE Experts in Accounting and business advisory. Proudly Supporting Bali and Gagan Farming Ltd 021786138 | 0210363043 varun@bizwhiz.co.nz E3, 123 Ormiston Road, Botany Junction, Flat Bush, Auckland bizwhiz.co.nz Our focus is on supporting the financial success of milk contractors and orchard owners. With extensive experience in this sector, we specialize in saving you money on taxes and helping your business grow. We have great staff supporting us across all three farms, and all from different cultures which is really good.” Looking to the future, Bali says he and Gagandeep would like to take the next step in their farming journey by going 50/50 sharemilking or, preferably, lease a farm.
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